# Changing the Culture: How One Ohio Community is Normalizing Physician Mental Health

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ama-steps-forward-podcast-3867562/changing-the-culture-how-one-ohio-community-is-normalizing-physician-mental-health
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ama-steps-forward-podcast-3867562/changing-the-culture-how-one-ohio-community-is-normalizing-physician-mental-health.md
Podcast: [AMA STEPS Forward® podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/ama-steps-forward-podcast-3867562)
Published: 2026-07-01T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://edhub.ama-assn.org/steps-forward/pages/podcast
Audio file: https://afp-935244-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/f079d768-31cc-4266-9c0e-5ad0bb14c2e2/episodes/c443fd54-11df-4b7d-b7d0-ccf6b5a57a07/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=f079d768-31cc-4266-9c0e-5ad0bb14c2e2&awEpisodeId=c443fd54-11df-4b7d-b7d0-ccf6b5a57a07&feed=2tSAHdU6
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Duration seconds: 2125

## Resource

Explore the Wellness-Centered Leadership Playbook: https://bit.ly/3P6Xlab Follow STEPS Forward on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/steps-forward-linkedin When pediatrician and CMO Rob McGregor, MD surveyed his physicians and found that nearly half were at risk of or already experiencing burnout, he did something unusual: he cold-called a psychiatrist he’d never met. Joseph Varley, MD answered that call, which led to the formation of the Akron Physician Wellness Initiative (APWI), a free, confidential, no insurance mental health service built specifically for physicians. In this episode, Dr. McGregor and co-founder Dr. Varley join host Kevin Hopkins, MD, to share how they turned a bold idea into a thriving program.

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## Transcript

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